Local News

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the air war in Libya achieves some of its early objectives, such as grounding Moammar Gadhafi's air force, the Obama administration is looking for a quick exit — at least from a front-line role in an international operation that has yet to gain the robust participation of Arab nations that Washington wanted.

Civilians in major cities like Misrata are still bearing the burden of clashes with pro-Gadhafi forces that are showing little sign of heeding international demands that they retreat for peace. That is raising the prospect of stalemate and doubt about whether the Libyan leader can be defeated outright.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Under the shadow of the Libyan war to the end, President Barack Obama sped to the finish of his Latin American journey on Tuesday, promising a better U.S. fight against the violent drug trade that plagues Central America and undermines the security of an entire region.

In tiny El Salvador, Obama again found his time diverted and his agenda eclipsed by the U.S.-led military campaign against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. He was scuttling a trip to Mayan ruins here Wednesday morning in favor of a national security meeting on Libya.

The president is returning to Washington on Wednesday a couple of hours earlier than scheduled.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An 11-foot cross was stolen from a church and set on fire next to the home of a black family, igniting anger and disbelief in a prosperous, mostly white Central California community that hasn't seen a hate crime in nearly a decade.

Police assigned extra patrols to the neighborhood in Arroyo Grande and rewards were offered for information leading to an arrest. Church leaders were urged to mention the family in their prayers.

"I was horrified," said the Rev. Stephanie Raphael, president of the San Luis Obispo Ministerial Association. "We live in a paradise, and I think the first thought was, this can't really be real."

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Workers at a leaking nuclear complex hooked up power lines to all six of its reactor units, but other repercussions from a massive earthquake and tsunami still rippled across Japan as economic losses mounted at three flagship companies.

The progress on the electrical lines at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant was a welcome and significant advance Tuesday after days of setbacks. With the power lines connected, officials hope to start up the overheated plant's crucial cooling system that was knocked out during the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan's northeast coast.

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Moammar Gadhafi's snipers and tanks are terrorizing civilians in Libya's third-largest city, and the U.S. military said Tuesday it was "considering all options" in response to dire conditions that have left people cowering in darkened homes and scrounging for food and rainwater.

The vision for a creative district in Los Alamos is beginning to take shape.
Sharing and developing Los Alamos’ unique creative heritage, enhancing commercial businesses, increasing visitors and quality of life for residents, encouraging development of public cultural facilities and supporting historic preservation are some of the advantages.
But before these benefits come to fruition, a plan is needed. Therefore, the Cultural Planning Group will present a draft plan for the creative district during a town hall meeting from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Unitarian Church.
Additionally, local businesses are invited to attend an open house from 8-10 a.m. Friday at the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Taxpayer Assistance Center, at 5338 Montgomery Blvd., N.E., Albuquerque, will be open from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday.
The IRS office will be open to provide free assistance to New Mexicans who may need help getting tax forms and schedules for this year’s tax return or information on making a payment arrangement or questions about a lien withdrawal and more.
For some issues, assistance may be offered over the telephone by IRS employees who are working in other offices around the country.

ALBUQUERQUE — Environmental groups rejoiced Monday after efforts to roll back New Mexico’s new greenhouse gas emissions rules failed during the legislative session that ended over the weekend.
Gov. Susana Martinez has vowed to continue reviewing all state regulations, however, with an eye toward improving the business climate in New Mexico and creating jobs.
Martinez said at a news conference after the end of the session Saturday that she’s looking at laws passed by the Legislature as well as those approved by various state boards, commissions and executive agencies.